University of Richmond Athletics
Men's Basketball Plays In Charity Game That Raises $2,375 For Arthritis Foundation
07/20/2009 | General
April 10, 2008
SpiderTV: Spiders Put On A Show Helping To Raise Money For Arthritis 
RICHMOND, Va. - The Richmond men's basketball team took part in a first-of-its-kind charity game at the sold out Tuckahoe Middle School gymnasium Thursday night, helping to raise $2,375 for the National Arthritis Foundation's Virginia Chapter.
The Spiders received a special waiver from the NCAA to play in the charity game against members of the Tuckahoe Middle School faculty. All proceeds for the event went to the Arthritis Foundation Virginia Chapter in honor of Dymond Carle, a Tuckahoe Middle School sixth grader who suffers from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
"There are a lot of heroes here tonight, but my hero is a different size," organizer Chris Beach, a teacher at the school, told the crowd as he introduced Dymond.
Arthritis Foundation representatives sold tickets to the event for $5 and people had to be turned away at the door.
The Spiders presented Dymond with an autographed basketball, some Spider gear and courtside seats to a Richmond game next winter. Dymond sat on the Spiders bench in the second half as the honorary coach.
The event was the brainchild of Beach, who has known Dymond since she was in elementary school. Beach approached Mooney with the idea of having a charity game and he was immediately interested. The NCAA had never received a request to allow a collegiate team to participate in a charity game. Based on the cause, the NCAA granted the waiver.
"We honestly didn't know what to expect, but obviously having a great turnout with the enthusiasm, the school spirit and just doing this for Dymond is great," Tuckahoe Middle School principal Brian Fellow said. "This has exceeded our expectations, having everybody out, it's a packed house. It's awesome."
"It's a great thing for our players to come out here for a good cause and show their lighter side," Richmond head coach Chris Mooney said. "We respect how important it is to do community service, especially when there is a good cause like this. We're glad to help the Arthritis Foundation and in particular Dymond."
The game had it all, from a packed student section, band and performances by Tuckahoe Middle School's cheerleaders, dance team and step team. Some of the game's more comedic moments included Richmond's Kevin Smith guarding a female teacher on his knees, Jarhon Giddings being issued a detention slip by the referee and Smith being given an early dismissal slip.
In the second half a few members of the Tuckahoe Middle School boys' and girls' basketball teams played alongside the Spiders throwing some alley oops and scoring several baskets to the delight of the capacity crowd.
Richmond sophomore Ryan Butler, who attended Tuckahoe Middle School, which is less than three miles from the Richmond campus, especially enjoyed the event.
"Anytime we get to come out and do a community event it's great," Butler said. "It's nice to come out here for a good cause, for Dymond. It's good to come back here to my old school and see some teachers and people I haven't seen in a while. We had a lot of fun."
